This month in “It Pays to Maintain,” we’ll be pulling back the membrane layers and exposing the true cost of a roof leak.

Typically, industrial and commercial buildings have flat, low-sloped roofing systems. Known as the fifth wall, these roofs are exposed to the harshest elements. From extreme temperatures and UV rays to precipitation and foot traffic, these roofs are constantly on the defense. They’re expected to withstand daily attacks, all of which are trying their hardest to penetrate this wall of protection.

These roofs are expected to be 100 percent effective, 100 percent of the time. It’s when they fail, even in the smallest areas, that problems begin to arise. Take a 100,000-square-foot roof. Even if it was 99.99 percent effective, it potentially has 1 square foot of total defective roof area. Divide that single square foot up into square inches, and you have 144 square-inch failures spread throughout a single roof. Each one of these entry points is potentially catastrophic. Just one heavy rain or snow storm could cause significant damage.

The list of potential damage that moisture can cause to a building is extensive, and the negative effects only multiply the longer it takes to resolve each leak. Once water makes it past the fifth wall, the
roof insulation, ceiling tiles, walls, floors, furnishings, electrical equipment, inventory, and air quality are all at risk — leading to a very costly repair or replacement bill down the road. This is where a preventative roof maintenance system is most effective.

Your roof may not have 144 different leaks, but one single leak is enough to cause immense damage to your roof, your building, and your wallet. Most businesses, in order to save money on their bottom line, adopt a deferred building maintenance strategy. This approach has the potential to reduce short-term maintenance budgets, but your expenses will likely increase, since total roofing failures are more likely to occur in roofs lacking preventative care. Think of your roof like a cavity. When you see your dentist regularly and invest in your oral health, your teeth stay healthier longer. If you were to stop this preventative care, you would likely get a cavity that could turn into a more expensive procedure than if you had invested in a maintenance plan from the start.

When you compare a deferred program to a preventative program, those using a deferred programs always end up paying more than if they had scheduled regular maintenance. In order to get the absolute best investment out of a roof’s life cycle, long-term care and maintenance are a must. Invest in a preventative roof maintenance plan and stop any of these leaks before they wash away your budget.
At Castro Roofing, we believe that if you’re paying a penny, you’re paying too much. Every cost of your business needs to pay you back — it needs to be an investment.

A preventative roof maintenance program thrives on this idea. With visual roof inspections and routine maintenance, you’re extending the life of your roof, which, in turn, saves you money. The cost of small repairs are next to nothing when compared to the cost of a full or partial roof replacement that a simple leak may cause.

Get the most out of your roof, and invest in your building’s future with our LOOKOUT Commercial Roof Monitoring Program™. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. By allowing Castro Roofing to maintain your roof, you can expect to extend its life by as much as 30 percent. Avoid some additional unexpected holiday stress and let Castro Roofing take care of all your roofing needs. Call us with any questions, or visit our website to learn more about LOOKOUT.

Make sure to keep an eye out for “It Pays to Maintain” in our next blog, where we will continue discussing the advantages of preventative roof maintenance.